Buddha Enthroned

The identification of Buddhist monarchs with overt symbols of worldly wealth and power was characteristic of the time of the Angkor king Jayavarman VII (1181–c. 1218). Although Buddhism rejects worldly possessions, the association of Khmer kings with gods was frequently expressed in sculpture decorated with royal regalia. By presenting the Buddha as possessing material wealth and power in richer images like the Kimbell sculpture, Jayavarman VII may have sought to identify himself with divine authority.

Instead of being represented as a monk meditating on a lotus pad, the Buddha is here depicted on an elaborate throne. The steep, intricately carved superstructure surmounted by a flame pattern invokes the form of the mountain-shaped pediments of Khmer temples with entwined foliate motifs and nagas, the serpent symbols of the power of the underworld: water and fertility. The Buddha is adorned with a diadem, heavy ear pendants, and richly jeweled necklaces, bracelets, and anklets. His right hand reaches down with extended fingers to make the earth-touching gesture, or mudra, known as Maravijaya, meaning “victory over Mara.” In this mode, the most frequently encountered gesture in Thai sculpture, the Buddha is calling on the earth to witness his victory over the seductive forces of the evil power of Mara, who tried to distract the Buddha from the meditation that would lead to his enlightenment.